Thursday, August 27, 2009

I have been feeling more aches & pains this time around. Most likely because I'm chasing Bella around. I have found that this week has been SOOOO much better, though, perhaps because I'm no longer picking her up to the changing table.

Chris and I are getting closer on a name... naming is the hardest part, isn't it?!?3 more months... I'm looking forward to meeting my little Thanksgiving Turkey!!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Day 6: ThursdayBella went to school in the morning and had NO ACCIDENTS! 3 pee pees on the potty! Yahoo! This was cool for me to hear, because she's going somewhere good other than home! We had a successful #2 on the potty at home and many #1's. All initiated by her. One accident when she heard water running... she had a look on her face like, "uh-oh" and ran to the potty. She finished there. :) Overall, great day!!!

Day 7: FridayFIRST ACCIDENT-FREE DAY!!! Yay! She had a great morning at home, all potty time initiated by herself. She woke up dry from a 3 hour nap, and we were trying to leave home for an hour drive to Lawrenceville. She didn't have to go when she woke up, so I put a diaper on her in fear that she would go in the car. When we were about 5 minutes away from my parents house, she started whining about the "potty." We told her to hold it (not sure she understands, but we said it anyways!) And she did! Right when we got there, we showed her Nana's potty and she went.

I am a happy Mama! It's exciting, but also just too cool to see her learning!

This will be my last "Potty Training Diary" entry for now. Here's to hoping it sticks!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Today we took a spontaneous trip to the Yellow River Game Ranch with Kristy and Josie and a couple of others. What a fun outing!! Bella is learning about all these animals in books (names, sounds)... so it was fun talking about them on the drive out and watching her experience them up CLOSE! They just walk right up and take food from you. She liked all the animals except the squirrels. I actually witnessed her taking food BACK from a squirrel and saying "no!"

This is a 2 min video. Some things to mention:1) She kisses the cow. 2) She thought the deer was wearing a hat (antlers). 3) She likes to say hey to every animal. Our visit sounded like this, "Hey kisskin (chicken), Hey Cow, Hey Duck, Hey Bunny, Hey Goat" You get the picture :) 4) My dad has an unusual fear of Black Bears. So that clip is for him. 5) She DID NOT like the man in the cow costume at Chick-fil-a at lunch. She can smell a fake I guess. Shoulda got that on camera!

It really was a great day! We both loved it and can't wait to head back!

Don't feel like you have to read unless you are just curious about potty training or really bored :) I just like to write this down because it's my LIFE right now! :) I like the challenge.

Day #3: MondayMonday Bella went to work with Daddy for the morning. I didn't prepare too well, as she was used to going comando. I guess I thought she'd just understand and start going potty :) No really, I just don't know what I'm doing! She was a little confused with a pull up on. That night we went and got cloth pull ups (basically thicker big girl panties). She did well in them that afternoon and evening; no accidents. She's still sleeping in a diaper, of course. I made a better plan of attack for school the next day to try.

Day #4: TuesdayBella again went to Waumba for the morning. This time I armed her with the M&M treats, and she went wearing the cloth diapers. She had one accident, but waited until I got there to change her into the diaper for nap time and she went #2 in it. She woke up dry from the nap and we had an accident-free afternoon and evening. (I thought, keep reading...) She's initiating at home going potty... just running there when she needs to go. We worked on the coordination of actually pulling down the undies. I think she likes going comando, as it's a struggle to get the undies back on her. She thinks it's hilarious and takes off running. Sometimes I just let her go with it. That brings me to a funny story. GG was here visiting. Kristy and Josie came over to visit. So, I thought I'd get Bella a little more dressed. I went to get her underwear and bring it into the living room. As I unfold it, I hear "PLOP!" I guess the sneaky girl had gone #2, but we just didn't notice! Nasty. But pretty funny.

Day #5: WednesdayI thought about bunkering down, cleaning, and maybe venturing out to the grocery store today... with my real mission of getting Bella potty trained by the end of the day once and for all (like how I speak so positively like that would happen in a day?!?) Then Kristy called and we made a quick decision to venture out to the Yellow River Game Ranch. I decided to be brave and let her wear the cloth diaper on the way. (Not a super quick drive). I feel like the diaper is a little confusing, so the less I can use it, the better. I also took along a portable potty. We tried it out in the parking lot when we got there, but she didn't go. About halfway through the trail, she started going in her pants. She was tugging at the potty stored under the stroller. We got it out and she finished in the portable potty. I felt good about this because 1) we are bound to have accidents while out - why not in a nasty game ranch where we are walking thru animial poo anyway?!? 2) She didn't like the feeling (yay!) and 3) she recognized the potty and went for it, where she is suppose to go. We changed clothes right there on the trail. Afterwards, we went to Chick-fil-a for lunch. I brought the potty seat in and she went at the resturant after lunch. Score, I want her to get used to going different places!

So, I've decided pee-pee is going pretty well. While attempting to go once today, she took off comando and pooped in the living room. So, I feel like I am picking up after a dog. Nice.

I think things are clicking, though. It's not perfect, but she's getting it! And she's starting to ask for treats... sounds like a lot of mistakes (2x a day right now!) but we are having many more successes!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Bella has been quite interested in the potty for a while now. Before vacation, she used it a couple of times when I put her on it. I expressed that I'd like to potty train when we returned home from vacation.

However, once home, it totally scared me. Was I ready for this? I have been so tired (where's my third trimester energy?!? Hopefully coming soon!) I wasn't sure I was ready for it. But.... I went for it after reading a friend of a friend's blog about her experience... it inspired me.... and we didn't have any plans for Saturday, so we bunkered down and started the process.

Oh, while Chris and I grouted the kitchen back splash. haaaaaaa.

Basically, the route I went was to have her just in a tshirt - quick, easy access to the potty anytime. Here are our results so far:

Day #1: SaturdayWe started off pretty well. She had tons of successes on the potty, and only two accidents during the day. Both of which she was just playing and realized a little too late she was going. :) We also had her first successful #2 on the potty. We used M&M's as a reward (1 for pee pee, 2 for poo poo) :) We celebrated every success big time and made flushing and saying "bye-bye" a big deal. She ran to the potty many times by herself. That felt great! We left the house once for dinner at Willy's and a trip to Lowe's. I was excited she returned home with a dry diaper, and then went when we got home. Overall, a great day for a first day...

Day #2: SundayBella woke up WAAAYYYY early. I don't know if it was this new experience or what! She typically sleeps until 8-8:30 (and even 9 sometimes) so a 6:30 wake up time was totally strange and got me (and her) all out of whack. The morning went accident free. When we went to church, I took her to the little kid toilet in the nursery. I wasn't sure what she'd think about it, but she went pee pee. Celebration! I am assuming she also went more during the service in her diaper because she had a new diaper on when I picked her up. We went to the mall for lunch and stopped at some stores inside. But we got home, dry, and she went again. Throughout the day, she went #2 unprompted twice! That was great. (And gross to transfer in the big toilet and flush, yuck!) But we celebrated like crazy!!! (and sent dad a iPhone pic-haaaaaaaa!) We had two accidents - but overall, was a great day!!!

Day #3: MondayShe went to school in the morning. I don't think I prepared very well. I was sort of winging it, and she has been practically naked at home. She can't really do that there! I sent her with diapers and no real plan. So, they tried every 30 minutes, and tried a pull up. She cried when she went #2 in the Pull Up, I think she was confused because it probably feels like a diaper/swim diaper. So that afternoon, we bought some cloth training diapers -- she did well all afternoon, accident free. Today... we'll try those at school!

Her teachers are so great in helping with this! I am sure that seeing her classmates all go through potty training recently is one reason she's had some interest. They are all so great in doing what we want and working with us at school.

So, I'm in this pretty deep. Part of me is like "YES!" and feels like she is getting it. Another part is wondering if I started too early, just having mom doubt. But overall, I think I'm doing the right thing. I guess it's not an overnight thing... this potty training isn't for sissies!! :) I am proud of her, though. Oh how I would love to only have one in diapers...

Oh, and it's crazy how much she looks like a big girl in big girl underwear. My little baby is growing so fast!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Ok, so these pictures are awesome. But yall know nothing is perfect. It was about 500 degrees. The boys were sweating bullets (well, I guess the girls were too!) and Bella was melting down big time. I didn't really think about the fact that we picked a pier this year, and all Bella wanted to do was run. Skinny pier + running + heat= stressed mama. But you can't tell from these pictures! I still haven't figured out how I got Bella to look at the camera with no one behind it.

Monday, August 10, 2009

So I have been trying to figure out how to even post about the trip. We have such great pictures that Chris took. But I am still in beach mode - super relaxed - not wanted to do much at all!!!
So I am going to break it up in a lot of pieces. That way, I can make a lot of posts about it and not have to think too much!

We ate in most nights. Ryan and Melissa were the kings of the kitchen. Seriously, they are great cooks! Melissa's Patio Rice was my favorite.
Here we are trying to figure out ways to keep onion tears away:
And here are the boys making kabobs:

One of the first nights, we had a scallop pasta night. My dad, grandad and aunt and uncle went scalloping in the bay and brought home TONS!
We also had a stuffed shells night and a taco night courtesy of Ryan and Melissa.
Now, aren't they a beautiful couple?

Our nights out were great too -- more to come later.

Oh, and since I am talking about Ryan... his dog Lola came to the beach with us, too:
Super sweet dog. But I am pretty sure we left one of her puppies behind with all the hair she sheds.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

We are in Cape San Blas... having a great time. Bella is doing great at the beach, actually playing in the sand this time around. We've been doing whatever we want... there are enough people here at the house that something is always going on...

Here are some pics from the first day.Carlos let us borrow his camera and WOW! Chris already takes great pics, but this camera rocks!!!!Katie's Grandmother (Grandie to Bella)Katie's GranddaddyChelsie and her friend Sarah Ryan and his girlfriend Melissa G-Daddy and Bella Nana and Bella